Batting is India's best hope

At last the sun is shining in England and this gives India a chance to start its campaign on a high note. The poor Sri Lankans have been shivering their way through spring, wearing long johns and wondering if the sun ever comes out in this cloudy country.

Inevitably, the weather has taken a toll of their spirits and Sanath's team has been down in the dumps for some time now. Sanath's own stocks have fallen faster than Worldcom, though recovery is more likely. Accordingly, the Sri Lankans are the outsiders and the Indians can romp into the final by which time it will probably be raining again.

Batting will be India's strongpoint and already the fellows are careering along. Doubtless the willow wielders are relieved to find some wicket with a bit of pace after the dreary strips provided in the Caribbean. Anyhow the top order has been productive and Sachin, Sehwag and Gangles especially seem capable of scoring heavily.

Whether India can bat well enough to worry their hosts is another matter. It is not just a case of winning an occasional match. The beauty of these competitions is that there is no sudden-death so that every team has plenty of opportunities to prove its worth. In the end records speak for themselves. Despite all the hullabullo England won only two of its five matches in the soccer World Cup and paid the penalty.

No one doubts that India can prevail now and then. Any team with a batting order of that sort knows it has a chance. But batting alone seldom wins an entire tournament because the pressure is too great. Sooner or later the batsmen slip up and then it is the bowlers' turn. Frankly, it is hard to see the vindaloos winning without a big score.

Overall, the bowling lacks penetration and depth so that opponents cannot easily be troubled let alone contained. Since the Lankans are in the same boat and probably dreaming of home comforts and sunset at the beach, the Indians should beat them more often than not. England is a different matter because the team is balanced and contains some tight bowling and brutal batting, with Marcus Trescothick and Andy Flintoff to the foremost.

These fellows seem as English as a Sunday roast and they enjoy belting the ball around. Both men grew up in gentle and indulgent families that gave them confidence and love though perhaps not the drive that might have taken them to the top earlier.

Trescothick ate chocolate bars throughout his youth, vast quantities and not occasional nibbles, whilst Flintoff turned up for his first England tour several curries over par. It has taken them time to settle but they have become a formidable pair and India will be hard-pressed to contain them. India's best hope is for a high scoring game dominated by its batsmen. Sachin and chums can put pressure on their opponents and then it will be up to the bowlers to put the ball on the spot. As Henry Blofield once pointed out at the end of a grave discourse on the subject, "Pressure is a funny old thing".

It is also India's best chance of winning this trophy. It will be even harder in the World Cup next year for then all weaknesses will be exposed and the Vindaloos will be called to account.

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